In the context of communications over the Internet, the term thread originally referred to a chain of postings on a single subject in a newsgroup. More recently however, the term thread has come to also mean a particular series (or set) of messages derived or continued on from an original message. One example of a common usage of the term thread is in the context of office communications where a set of these related messages may have been created, and then someone will forward the thread to a person not on the original distribution list with perhaps the top message stating, “be sure to follow this thread to get the background information on it.”
It is possible that during a message thread additional recipients (previously absent from the thread) are added. It may not be clear to the other recipients that these additional recipients have been added. If so, unintended actions might end up being taken. For example, one of the message recipients might send out a reply containing information that he did not wish the additional recipients to see. Of course the additional recipients might not be internal recipients (i.e., people who work in the same company as the individuals who received the message that started the thread). Therefore one possible consequence of not being made aware of additional recipients might be the causing of a leak of confidential information.
Alternatively, sometimes during a message thread certain recipients are taken out of one or more of the most recent messages. Again it may not be clear to the other recipients that these recipients have been removed. Later, as additional messages are sent, there may be confusion as to why certain removed recipients never received particular messages intended to be sent to them.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous to improve methods and systems for detection and notification of a change in message recipients.
Similar reference numerals may have been used in different figures to denote similar components.